In recent years, one of the most popular window coverings, or shade systems, consists of horizontal vanes or blinds that are adjustable by the use of louvers mounted on vertical ladders connected to a head rail. The louvers are adjusted by manipulation of chords or a wand to control the amount of light passing through the shade. In most of these shade systems, the vanes, wands, and head rails are fabricated from plastic or metal, which produces an aesthetically rigid or mechanical appearance. A modern trend is to soften the appearance of the shade system with a thin cloth overlay, or treatment, intermittently attached to the shade. It is known to use horizontal rods to allow manipulation of the treatment as the blinds are raised or lowered. However, the known means for attaching the horizontal rods cause sharp and unsightly creases in the sheet member. In addition, such systems often involve intricate parts that can become entangled when the shade system is adjusted.
The present invention seeks to overcome these problems by providing a soft treatment, sometimes called a roman shade, having a simple construction permitting the treatment to fold automatically as the shade system is adjusted.